Potato Lorch is one of the oldest varieties of potatoes bred on the territory of Russia. It is very popular due to its excellent taste. This variety of root vegetables is time-tested, many generations of gardeners have grown it. From our article you will learn about the characteristics of this variety of potatoes.
General information
Potato Lorch is a versatile variety of potato. This variety is characterized by medium late ripening. Productivity is average. Taste is excellent. From the moment the root crop is planted in the soil until it ripens, it takes about 110-120 days. It contains quite a lot of starch, about 15-20%. For comparison, the content of this substance in Natasha potatoes is 11-14%. From 9 to 11 tubers are formed in the bush, the mass of which reaches 90-120 g.
History
Lorch seed potatoes, as we have already said, are one of the oldest varieties bred on the territory of our country. He appeared at a breeding station in 1922, now this organization is called the All-Russian Research Institute of Potato. The greatest contribution to the breeding of this variety was made by domestic breeder A.G. Lorch, in whose honor the vegetable was given such a name. The variety was included in the State Register in 1931 and has since been very popular.
Where is it grown?
Lorch potatoes are characterized by good cold resistance and cannot tolerate too high temperatures, as well as lack of moisture. Therefore, it is widely used for cultivation in the northern regions of the country. Most often, it can be found in gardens and greenhouses located in the North-West, Central, Middle Volga, Ural and West Siberian parts of Russia. In addition, it is suitable for cultivation on the territory of the Volga-Vyatka, North Caucasus and Central Black Earth regions.
The vegetable has a rich history. During the time that it exists, it has taken root in almost all regions of Russia. Moreover, it is grown and abroad, namely in the CIS countries and Europe.
Description
According to gardeners, Lorch potatoes are large. The tubers are oblong, heavy and large. The peel is light beige, may have a yellowish tint. It is very smooth and thin, easily removed from the root. There are not too many peepholes; they are evenly distributed on the surface of the potato. The pulp is white, during the cooking process it becomes friable, because most often mashed potatoes are prepared from this vegetable.
Presenting your attention the description of Lorch potatoes, one can not help but talk about the bushes. They are quite tall, reach a height of 80 cm. They are sprawling and lush. On the branches light green leaves of medium size are formed, there are practically no spurts on them. In addition, pretty flowers appear, the petals of which are painted in a delicate light red-violet color. Berries are absent.
Consumer qualities
Let's talk a little about the taste of Lorch potatoes. According to reviews, root crops are not too sweet and not too bitter, friable flesh is suitable for cooking various dishes. When cooking, the potatoes do not darken, which is an indisputable advantage of this variety. In addition, the variety can be used not only for food purposes: starch is obtained from it.
The soil
People who are engaged in the cultivation of this vegetable, in their reviews of Lorch potatoes, advise carefully preparing the soil in which it is planned to put the planting material. You can not have beds with this kind of root crops in too hot and arid areas. It’s best to set up an automatic irrigation system.
Potatoes are unpretentious to the soil. However, you need to plant it where there is a sufficient amount of phosphorus and potassium, since with a lack of these elements, the fruits lose their attractive appearance. In addition, sometimes gardeners are advised to cut planting material to increase its amount. You should not follow this recommendation, as the result will significantly decrease the volume of the crop.
Soil preparation
Old people recommend planting potatoes only after the leaves on the birch blossom. This period falls on the first half of May. The soil should warm up to 6-8 ° C, otherwise the vegetation period will take a longer time. The plant feels best in open areas not hidden in the shade. Lack of sunlight will provoke meager flowering, the bush will become weak, and the yield will decrease.
To prepare the soil for planting, it is necessary to remove the remains of crops that grew there earlier in the autumn. Then you need to loosen the soil. This will improve fertility and reduce evaporation. After a couple of weeks, dig deep into the ground, but do not break the earth clods, as they delay the snow cover, which contributes to increased soil moisture. At the same stage, organic fertilizers are applied at the rate of 4-6 kg of fertilizing per 1 m 2 . Manure is best suited.
In the spring, they again dig the soil. Immediately make nitrogen fertilizers that help the potato to form a bountiful crop. Complex feeding will not be superfluous.
Crop rotation
This term is used to refer to a collection of plants that have grown in a particular area in the past. It’s best to plant potatoes where cabbage, legumes, pumpkin or cucumbers were previously cultivated. But the lands on which tomatoes, sorghum and sunflower were grown are not suitable for planting potatoes in them, since they contain a large number of pathogens of various diseases.
Follow the advice of specialists and one year before planting root crops, inoculate the site with oats. This simple way will help disinfect the soil.
Planting material
How abundant the Lorch potato crop will turn out (photos you can find on the Internet) depends on the planting material used. It is taken during the harvest. It is best to take potatoes of the same size, the mass of which reaches 80 g. Root crops should be whole, they should not be cut, since this reduces the yield.
A month before planting, the tubers are thoroughly washed from dried ground, and then dipped in a weak solution of manganese for half an hour. The next thing to do is to put the root crops in one layer in shallow drawers. When the temperature rises to 10-12 ° C, the sprouts quickly awaken. The room is aired, tubers are regularly sprayed with water. As soon as the sprouts reach a length of 1 cm, they are planted in the ground.
Disembarkation
First you need to prepare the holes. Their depth should be at least 8 cm. Bushes are planted at a distance of 35-70 cm from each other. Gardeners are advised to familiarize themselves with the rules for growing Lorch potatoes in advance, a photo of which is presented in our article. Sprouted tubers are planted in pits with sprouts down, as this contributes to the formation of more sprawling bushes.
Care Features
To get a plentiful harvest, you need to properly care for the plant. You need to regularly fertilize and fertilize, water and mulch the soil.
- Fertilizers During spring digging and in the first weeks after planting, you can use nitrogen fertilizers, then make mineral fertilizing. In the fall, organics are used.
- Watering. If the plant lacks moisture, tubers become deformed. Therefore, you need to monitor soil moisture and irrigate as necessary. Be sure to carry out this procedure after the emergence of seedlings, before tying buds, during mass flowering and after its completion. 3-4 liters of water are poured under each bush. Do this once every 8-11 days, early in the morning or in the evening.
- Loosening is a necessary procedure that is carried out after watering or rain. The purpose of loosening is to restore gas exchange in the soil by destroying the crust formed on the soil surface. In addition, this procedure helps to get rid of weeds.
- Mulching. Dry grass is used for it, which is laid on the ground after watering and loosening. This helps retain moisture in the soil and also inhibits weed growth.
- Hilling is one of the most important methods used in the care of Lorch potatoes. You will find a description of the process in our article. The purpose of hilling is to loosen the ground and to facilitate unhindered access of oxygen and moisture to the tubers. In addition, hilling helps protect the plant from frost. The procedure is carried out in 2 stages. The first time this is done when the height of the tops reaches 15 cm. It is best to carry out the earthing up in the morning or in the evening. The second procedure is carried out after 2-3 weeks, dumping moist soil to the lower parts of the bush and loosening the soil.
Disease
The immune system in this variety is very well developed. Gardeners in their reviews of Lorch potatoes note that vegetables are resistant to late blight. However, the plant can be affected by diseases such as potato cancer, common scab and nematode.
The greatest danger, according to reviews, for a vegetable is cancer. This disease affects not only root crops, but also nearby soil, so you can get rid of this ailment only in radical ways: for this, the affected bushes are burned. You can not delay, as the disease spreads very quickly. In addition, crop rotation must be carried out correctly. As a prevention of potato cancer, you can use row crops that protect the soil from this disease for 6 years. Chemical preparations, for example, a benomyl suspension and a suspension of foundationazole, which are used to treat planting tubers, will also be useful.
The same recommendations can be made to deal with scabs. Siderata and trichodermin have been widely used as its preventive measures. Remember that the best protection against disease is a quality crop rotation and the use of healthy planting material.
Pests
According to gardeners, the Lorch potato variety is most susceptible to pests such as the bear and the wireworm.
The most common pest is the wireworm, whose larvae are very difficult to detect. The beetle hides in the soil, where it gnaws passages in the roots and tubers. As a result, the plant quickly dies. To counter this pest, chemicals are widely used, for example, Thunder and Dohlox. In addition, superphosphate granules are placed in the wells when planted. First you need to treat them with a special solution consisting of water, Actellik and acetone.
Preventive measures must be taken. To do this, the site is dug up twice a year (in spring and autumn), weeds are removed from it. Along the perimeter of the potato beds, fragrant herbs are planted, the aroma of which repels the wireworm.
Another pest is the bear. Both an insect and its larva can do harm. Medvedka chews on various parts of the plant, including stems, roots, tubers. This leads to the death of the bush. There are several ways to deal with a pest. For example, you can digest the grain, treat it with the drug "BI-58". Then the grains are placed in holes with root crops. Another way is to treat the rows between the bushes with chemical compounds such as Medvetox, Grizzly or Thunder.
To prevent the appearance of the bear, in the autumn they dig a deep hole, which is filled with horse manure and straw. As soon as the cold sets in, they dig it out and scatter manure on the ground. The bear dies. In addition, wormwood, mustard and flax can be grown in the same area. All of these crops scare away pests. Planting material must be treated with drugs such as Prestige, Masterpiece or Actara. According to reviews, such events can reduce the risk of the appearance of a bear in areas where potatoes grow.
Harvesting and storage
Potato Lorch, the description and photo of which you found in our article, has good keeping quality. This means that it can be stored for a long time. Harvesting is carried out at the end of the summer of the summer season. 10 days before that, the tops are mowed, leaving stems 10 cm high above the soil. As soon as dry weather sets, harvesting begins. To do this, use a pitchfork.
Potatoes are left in the air for several hours, giving root crops the opportunity to dry. After this, the tubers are thoroughly cleaned from the ground. Then the sorting process begins, during which sick and damaged potatoes are destroyed. At the same stage, planting material is selected, which will be used next year.
Lorch potatoes are stored (the description of the variety and reviews about it are presented in our article) in boxes or on racks. The temperature in the room should be quite low, only 2-4 ° C. Humidity cannot exceed 85%. The storage should be regularly ventilated. In addition, potatoes are sometimes picked and rotted tubers removed.
Advantages and disadvantages
To summarize all of the above, we can list the main advantages and disadvantages of Lorch potatoes, the description of which is presented in our article. What benefits are typical for this vegetable?
- Excellent taste.
- Relative frost resistance.
- Good keeping of tubers.
- Abundant harvest.
- Resistant to many diseases and pests.
However, there are disadvantages to this variety. Firstly, it does not tolerate a lack of moisture. Secondly, it is susceptible to diseases such as cancer and common scab. Despite this, the variety is very popular and suitable for cultivation in many regions of Russia.